MN RN's, please check this out, need help!

Hi All:
I am going to be moving to MN next year with my hubbie who is a native. I'm a little anxious to me moving there because of all the bugs and the weather, but I guess it will be ok.

I was hoping someone could tell me about the nursing schools in MN, specifically central or western portion around, plymouth, medina, maple grove, around that area. I am currently enrolled in a BSN program here in CA and would like to continue my education in MN, but need some input on what schools are good out there. My current program is a distance program through a state school. We only meet once a week and its great. Any advice or suggestions?

Also.....i'm getting a little scared because several of you have posted that it's somewhat difficult to get a job out there, even BEDSIDE! What do you say?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and would really calm me down. Thanks!

I live in the Twin Cities (I work over by where you are moving to) and I don't see the shortage that some people are talking about. There are several positions every week in the papers. Most do say that they require experience, but there are a lot specifying "new grads welcome".

We have a few 4 year colleges in the area. I'm not sure what types of distance programs they offer. The schools are the Univ. of Minnesota, Augsburg, Metro State Univ., Hamline Univ., Macalester, Concordia, St. Catherine's, and another one that is slipping my mind. We have several techs. that have the ADN programs too. I don't know much about some of the 4 year programs, but I know that St. Catherine's is very expensive and doesn't have the best NCLEX passing rate, and I'm not sure if Concordia offers nursing. It's worth checking these out though.

Good luck with your move! The mosquitos can't wait to have you in our great state.

Dec 4, '04

thanks alot for your comments. i'll look into the schools you mentioned. do you like the place were you are working at now? i've been an rn for 7 years and have done cardiac nsg and case management in the past, and am now looking to get back into acute care here in CA before saying goodbye to all this beautiful weather and sun here in CA and moving to.....well....you know...to MN, were icicles will be hangin off my ears!:chuckle

Quote from Spazzy Nurse

I live in the Twin Cities (I work over by where you are moving to) and I don't see the shortage that some people are talking about. There are several positions every week in the papers. Most do say that they require experience, but there are a lot specifying "new grads welcome".

We have a few 4 year colleges in the area. I'm not sure what types of distance programs they offer. The schools are the Univ. of Minnesota, Augsburg, Metro State Univ., Hamline Univ., Macalester, Concordia, St. Catherine's, and another one that is slipping my mind. We have several techs. that have the ADN programs too. I don't know much about some of the 4 year programs, but I know that St. Catherine's is very expensive and doesn't have the best NCLEX passing rate, and I'm not sure if Concordia offers nursing. It's worth checking these out though.

Good luck with your move! The mosquitos can't wait to have you in our great state.

Dec 5, '04

Well, I don't know if they'll hang off of your ears but I can guarantee they'll hang off your nose.

I love where I am working. The drive is kind of a pain during the winter months (I live on the other side of the Cities), but a lot of people commute down here so I just follow the flow.

You should look into cath. lab nursing. My husband works in the cath lab at one of the local hospitals. He has been there for 9 1/2 years and loves it. All of the nurses there seem real happy with their jobs, too. The hours are fabulous compared to many nursing positions. I think they like ICU type of experience.